


Keeping It Simple, Chapter Three

by Dyce



Category: Firefly
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-22
Updated: 2007-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-29 06:56:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14467380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dyce/pseuds/Dyce
Summary: Letters fly to and from Serenity.





	Keeping It Simple, Chapter Three

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Firefly’s Glow](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Firefly%27s_Glow), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Firefly's Glow collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/fireflysglow/profile).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** Warning: No smut

  
Author's notes: Warning: No smut  


* * *

Keeping It Simple, Chapter Three

## Keeping It Simple, Chapter Three

Chapter 3: A Chapter In Letters 

Deer Mother 

It is not my falt. It is Simon and Mal's falt. They cood not let things go and they meddled and Simon gave River the wrong medisin without telling her. She is going to have a baby but dont worry, we are going to get marreed as soon as we stop on a world that got a church. River said we should go to one of them offises and not have any fuss but I told her you would not forgive me if I did not get marreed by a proper preacher. River understands so we will do it that way. 

River is still not quite rite sometimes, but she is brave and a good shot, also she cooks real good now that Simon lets her use the knives agen. (She promises she wont stab me agen) I think she will be a good mother and I cood do much worse. We get along good and I do not know anybody I wood rather marry than her so it is all rite even if I probly woodent have bothered if the baby was not coming. 

River says pleas cood you make a litel hat for the baby like my yelow one. She thinks it is real cunning but she says green will look better on the baby than yelow. 

River sends her love and I will rite agen soon. 

Your son 

Jayne 

* * *

Dear Mother, 

I am quite well. I am still on 'that dreadful ship' and intend to remain so for the forseeable future. 

I told you that River had formed a most unsuitable attachment to Captain Reynold's mercenary. Due to an unfortunate combination of medications, her contraceptive shot was countered and she has now fallen pregnant. (I accept full responsibility for the medications, although I had no way of knowing she was depending on Horpaxin as a contraceptive, not having been told) She flatly refuses to even consider termination, and they intend to marry as soon as a suitable church can be found. He has, at least, sufficient common decency to wish in his coarse way to 'stand by her' and 'do the right thing'. 

It could be worse. I am appalled, horrified, and utterly against the entire relationship, obviously, but I do want to reassure you that it could be worse. He seems to have a rough sort of affection for River, and though he naturally barely understands her conversation, let alone her passion for physics, he makes no attempt to impede her studies or to demand that she attend to him instead of her books. He also seems cautiously pleased about prospective fatherhood. 

Please do not worry too much. I am doing my best, and Jayne is at least quite capable of protecting her from anything smaller than a military skiff. 

Yours, 

Simon 

* * *

Dear Jayne 

What do you mean it is not your falt, of course it is your falt, you are the one who was in bed with her. I do not beleve for one second that Mal or Simon wanted her to have a baby with you. This is your doing Jayne Cobb and dont you forgit it. 

I am glad you are doing the right thing and geting marreed. I will not have any grandbaby of mine get born out of wedlok. I am also glad that you like her and will like being marreed to her. You shuld have setteled down a long time ago. I like what you have writ me about her, she sounds like a good girl altho a bit wild and a good match for you. 

Tell River I will make a hat for the baby and something for her to. You get the nice Kaylee you writ me about to make a capture of River and of you for me, so I knowe what my daughter in law looks like and what my boy looks like after so long away. 

Love from, 

your Mother 

* * *

To the vile and neglectful parents, 

Simon is correct - I am carrying the offspring of a 'filthy, uneducated Rim thug'. The pregnancy will be free of complication and the child is in perfect health, so do not bother hoping that nature will rescue me from my supposed error. 

I do not appreciate your comments to the effect that I have allowed sentiment to cloud my judgement. I am not in love with Jayne, nor do I anticipate being so in the future. We get along well, are sexually compatible, and have well-matched skill-sets. I believe that our alliance will be mutually beneficial. (Not unlike your own marriage, but based on more tangible and practical benefits than mutual possession of fortune and political influence) 

Please do not bother writing again, as I do not like either of you any more. 

River 

* * *

Dear Mother 

River is sick a lot but Simon says it is normul and it will pass. She says she wants apples so I am going to buy her some as soon as we hit a planet has got some. 

I will not be abel to send as much money home now that I am going to be a father but do not wurry bekaus I will still send as much as I can. River gets her own cut when she is working altho it is not as big as mine. Between us we will have lots for the baby and some over to send home. I am sending some now because the baby does not cost anething yet except for making River waste food when it comes back up. 

River got a letter from her folks that made her real mad and she wont even lisen when Simon trys to reed her their letters now. She wood not show it to me but I sneeked a look and it calld me a lot of names. I am used to that but I like it that River is mad on account of it. She says she dosent care what they think and I do not think they are much loss even if they are rich. 

I hope Mattie is beter and glad about being an uncle soon. River will not let us deside on any names for the baby yet bekaus she says she has to meet him befor she can know what his name is. She is a Reader so I spose she wood know. 

Your son 

Jayne 

PS: We got a wave says there is a pakage waiting for me but it will be a cuple weeks before we get back to the mail stashon. Thank you for it if it is from you. 

* * *

Mother and Father, 

No, I cannot make River 'listen to reason'. The baby is hers and if she wants to complete her pregnancy then it is her right to do so. I admit Jayne is not the partner I would have chosen for her, but she could have done much worse, believe me. At least he respects her independence and treats her as well as he knows how. 

I must say that I do not appreciate your comments on the subject of 'ignorant Rim-dwelling scum'. Kaylee, who I believe I have mentioned more than once, is very important to me. Though her formal education may have been lacking in some areas, she is the kindest, warmest, most sincere person I have ever met, and I hope very much that she will someday consent to formalize our relationship. (I have not asked her yet, so stop fussing, Mother. But I will.) 

Jayne and River are not yet married, since we have yet to spend long enough on a planet to locate a church. However, I am certain they will be as soon as the first mate can convince Captain Reynolds to stop stalling. He has a tendency to try to put off upleasant necessities. 

At the very least, please consider tempering your language somewhat in regards to Jayne. He really isn't that bad, at least not any more, and River has refused even to hear you mentioned since you called him a parasitic oaf with designs on the family fortune. They are not romantically attached, but they are fond of each other in a friendly way and insulting him upsets her. 

If you insult Kaylee even by generalities again, I will not speak to you any more either. 

Regards, 

Simon 

* * *

Dear prospective mother-in-law 

Thank you for the hat for the baby. When it is born, I will draw you a picture of Jayne and his offspring both wearing their hats. Thank you also for the shawl... it is very warm, and I like pink. I wear it whenever it is cold. 

Jayne is doing his best to take good care of me. He has bought fruit for me because Simon told him it would be good for the baby, and he holds the basin for me when I am sick. He didn't get angry even when I was sick on Binky, who is one of his favourite guns, although he did make me clean it off myself. 

A capture is enclosed. You see that I am wearing my shawl in it. I am not usually quite that pale, but I have not been off the ship much because Mal worries that I will get hurt somehow, also I am still suffering from nausea. Do not worry about Jayne's bandage - it was a very minor injury. After the baby is born I will be able to go on jobs again and protect him. 

Thank you for approving of me, 

Your future daughter-in-law, 

River. 

* * *

Dear Daddy 

Well, things have been just crazy the last couple months and the letters have been flying, so many that I've hardly had a chance to write my own for all the paper getting used elsewhere. 

I wrote you about Jayne, who is so much like Uncle Ben only taller. He and River have been keeping company for a while, which was a surprise because he is so much older and they didn't seem to get along at first, but they are real sweet together and I think they are much more fond of each other than they'll admit to. They are going to have a baby, which was an accident, but he said right away as they should get married for the baby's sake which made me real proud of him. He really wants to do right by her. 

Simon and I are getting along real good now, but don't worry, there won't be any babies for me just yet. I am looking forward to River having hers, though, it'll make up some for not seeing Cassie's get borned. Did you get the present I sent? 

River says I can be there when her baby is born if I want to, because she don't have any sisters and I am her best friend. I am going to, because Simon is going to get all flustered and Jayne tends to panic when things get emotional, and somebody should be there who can stay calm! 

I will write more another time. The air-processor just went clunk. 

Lotsa love, 

Kaylee. 

* * *

Deer Jayne 

Your ma is real pleezd with the capsher altho she sez River dos not look lyk she eets enuff. Mattie sez she looks like the doll your sister Sora has, but with lyter hare. I think he is rite. She is real pretty and you ar lukyer then you deserv. 

Do not wory abut sending money home any more. It was all rite as long as it was just you, but now you will hav a wife an baby to provyd for. We will be fine and we would rather hav a granbaby than money any day. 

Tell River we want to meet her soon and the three of you will allways have a home heer if you need it. We are all glad that you ar getting marreed and I hope the baby is big an strong But not too big bekaus River is real litel. You tak good cair ov that girl - you still ar not to old for me to beet if you do rong by her. 

From your Father. 

* * *

[written across the corner of an envelope addressed to Dr Simon Tam] 

Addressee refuses all further contact from sender. Please return. 

* * *

River - 

Come out of there and stop making such a fuss. I've made him promise to set down on Beaumonde for at least three days. I'm sure you can find a church by then. It only took me one, and that was with Wash panicking over being thrown out the airlock. 

Zoe. 

PS: Did you lock yourself in _with_ the cargo on purpose? It sure sped negotiations along. 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:   **Keeping It Simple, Chapter Three**   
Author:   **Dyce**   
Details:   **Work-In-Progress**  |  **PG**  |  **het**  |  **10k**  |  **04/22/07**   
Characters:  Jayne, River   
Pairings:  River/Jayne   
Summary:  Letters fly to and from Serenity.   
Notes:  Warning: No smut   
Sequel to:  Keeping It Simple, Chapter Two   
  



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